Portable golf ball washer having a brush and a liquid reservoir



Dec. 11, 1951 c. Q. CADMA 2,578,224

PORTABLE GOLF BALL ASH HAVING A BRUSH AND A LI D RESERVOIR Fil Oct. '2, 1947 Patented Dec. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE GOLF BALL WASHER HAVING A BRUSH AND A LIQUID RESERVOIR Coin Q. Cadman, Silver City, N. Mex.

Application October 2, 1947, Serial No. 777,564

. 2.0laims. 1

Most golf players prefer clean balls for numerous reasons, one of the most important being that a clean ball can be more readily seen and will not, therefore, become as easily lost, and it is the principal object of my invention to provide a new and improved washer which a player may carry in one of his pockets or a pocket of his golf bag and may easily use whenever desired.

A further object is to provide a ball washer in which enough water and soap paste or other fluid soap may be carried for a number of washings without danger of leakage, novel provision being made whereby a quantity of the soap may be injected into the water whenever required.

A still further object is to provide a ball washer of simple'and inexpensive construction, yet one which will rapidly and effectively perform its function.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing is a side elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on line 4--4 of Fig. 2 but showing the cover open and illustrating a ball engaged with the brush.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

A preferred construction has been illustrated and will be rather specifically described, but attention is invited to the possibility of making variations Within the scope of the invention as claimed. It may also be stated that whereas a modern plastic is preferably used in the construction of the device, any other suitable material or materials could be employed. Moreover, while the body of the device has been shown as if of one-piece construction, manufacturing procedure will usually require that it be constructed from sections cemented or otherwise appropriately secured together.

A bowl-like casing 6 of substantially cylindrical shape is provided to contain a quantity of water, the side wall 1 of said casing being provided at its upper end with an inwardly projecting continuous flange 8 which defines a central opening 9 of a size to receive a golf ball It or other ball to be washed. The casing is of rigid material and of a size to be readily carried in the pocket of a coat or golf bag. Around the opening 9, the flange 8 is formed with a continuous upstanding rib H for fluid-tight contact with a gasket |2 carried by a hinged cover l3. said gasket [2 being seated within a continuous groove l4 formed in the lower side of said cover l3, to receive the rib l|. Any suitable means may be provided to hold the cover l3 in closed position. For this purpose, I have shown said cover provided with an integral under-cut lug I5 to snap into an under-cut recess [6 in the flange 8, and said cover may be notched or grooved at I! to receive the users thumb nail or a suitable instrument to be used for prying said cover open.

The bottom wall |8 of the casing 6 is formed with a downwardly open recess I9 to receive a quantity of fluid soap S, paste soap being preferably employed. The bottom I8 is also formed with a restricted soap port 20 from the top of the recess |9 into the water space or chamber 2| within the casing, and an appropriate check valve 22 is associated with said port 20 to prevent back-flow of soap therethrough and to prevent any water from entering the soap chamber I9 from the water chamber 2|.

A concave substantially semi-spherical ball brush 23 is fixedly mounted in the casing 6 immediately below and opposite the top opening 9. It preferably consists of a concavo-convex back 24 carrying tufts of bristles 25, and these tufts may well be much more numerous than shown in the drawing. In the present disclosure, the brush back 24 extends from the bottom l8 to the casing side wall 1 and joins the latter at its juncture with the flange 8. This brush back is formed between the tufts of bristles with slots 26 or other suitable openings through which water may pass. It will be noted that the tufts of bristles project upwardly and inwardly from the entire concave face of the back 24, so the free ends of the radially disposed bristles will engage substantially onehalf of the surface of a golf ball held and rotated in the opening 9. The ball will thus be quickly and effectively cleaned.

The side wall 1 is preferably provided with a horizontal line or stripe 2'! to indicate the level to which the casing 6 should be filled with water, the water level being sufficiently low to overcome danger of spilling from the open top of the casing, if the user has a tendency to tilt this casing during use of the device. The cover I3 is of course normally closed and prevents any spilling of water from the casing. Whenever the device is to be used. a manually operated screw plug- 28 which is threaded into the open lower end of the recess I9, is turned to eject a quantity of soap through the passage 29 into the water chamber 2|. Then, with the cover I 3 still closed, the entire device is vigorously shaken, thus mixing the soap with the water. The cover may now be opened, the ball |0 engaged with the concave brush 23, and by then turning the ball in numer- 3 ous directions while pressing it against said brush, the ball surface will be thoroughly washed.

The plug 28 and the casing bottom l8 preferably have suitable indicating means 29, 30 to show how much the plug should be turned to discharge enough of the fluid soap for one ballwashing operation.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the objects of the invention, and while preferences have been disclosed, attention is again invited to the possibilityof making variations within the scope of the invention as claimed;

I claim:

1. A golf ball cleaner to be carried in a pocket comprising a cylindrical casing of rigid material.

to hold a cleaning liquid, said casing having a flat bottom and a surroundng side wall with an 111- turned annular fiange at its top defining a centrail-opening of a size slightly greater than the diameter of a golf ball, and a stationary bristle brush of substantially semi-spherical shape" dist.- posed in said casing immediately below and. 0p

posite said opening, said brush having aarigid'concavo-convex back extending from thebottomz of said casing to said inturned flange with tufts of radially disposed bristles projecting upwardly and inwardly from. the entire concave face of said backto position the free ends of said bristles 3 incontact with approximately one-half of the surface of a golfball held'in said opening of: the

casing, said brush back having openings between said tufts to permit liquid in the bottom portion of the casing to pass to said bristles.

2. The structure of claim 1 together with a removable cover to close the said casing opening when the cleaner is not in use and in which said casing has formed in its bottom wall a chamber to hold a soap paste which may be fed through arestricted opening to: the liquid in said casing.

COIN Q. CADMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this: patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,207,121 Zeidler Dec. 5, 1916 1,366,306 Wick Jan. 18, 1921 1,565,414 Byrne Dec. 15, 1925 1,710,816 Evans Apr. 30, 1929 1,792,211 Brewer Feb. 10, 1931 1,842,291 Sample Jan. 19, 1932 1,943,202 Charles Jan. 9, 1934 2,392,007 Spinola Jan. 1, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,853 Great Britain 1908 187,112 Great Britain Oct. 19, 1922 404,322 Great Britain Jan. 12, 1934 416,643, Great Britain Sept. 18, 1934 

